Multi-tooth-surface brushing device

ABSTRACT

A multi-tooth-surface brushing device for improving cleaning capacity by maximizing bristle contact with the lingual, the vestibular and the occlusal tooth surfaces simultaneously throughout the entire brushing process.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to toothbrushes and, in particular, it isconcerned with improving cleaning capacity by providing brush headconfiguration directed at maximizing bristle contact with the lingual,the vestibular and the occlusal tooth surface simultaneously throughoutthe entire brushing process.

It is well known that proper dental hygiene is not a simple matter andrequires manipulating the brush head into proper orientations to accessall of the tooth surfaces requiring brushing. Many brushers simply lackthe desire to invest the required effort, or the awareness of whatproper brushing requires, and/or the time and the patience.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,478 teaches a toothbrush having a rotatable bristleconfiguration directed at brushing plurality of tooth surfacessimultaneously. Hoverer, the bristles do not provide the abrasivecleaning action normally provided by the bristle stiffness because thebristles are configured to rotate as they glide over the teeth. U.S.Pat. No. 6,343,396 teaches a tooth cleaning device is which the bristlesprovide the required abrasive action; however, since the bristles aremounted in a single rotatable carriage, the bristles do maintain contactwith the differing lingual and vestibular tooth curvatures.

Therefore, there is a need for a toothbrush configured to clean each ofthe tooth surfaces in a manner maintaining optimal contact with lingual,vestibular, occlusal tooth surfaces simultaneously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is multi-tooth-surface brushing device forbrushing lingual, vestibular, occlusal tooth surfaces simultaneously.

According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided amulti-tooth-surface brushing device for brushing a plurality of toothsurfaces simultaneously includes (a) a handle having a head, and (b) atleast two opposing brushes pivotably mounted on said head so that when auser's vestibular tooth surface contacts a first of said two opposingbrushes, said first brush aligns with a vestibular-curvature and when auser's lingual tooth surface contacts a second of said two opposingbrushes, said second brush aligns with a lingual-curvature.

According to a further feature of the present invention the two opposingbrushes have bristles of varying length, wherein the bristles of thefirst brush collectively form a substantial concave brushing surface andthe bristles of the second brush collectively form a substantialconvex-brushing surface.

According to a further feature of the present invention the bristles aredisposed at a slope in which an unattached end of the bristles is moredistant from the head than an end of the bristles attached to a bristlesupport of each of the opposing brush heads.

According to a further feature of the present invention the second brushis implemented as having a length less or equal to or less than one-halfof a length of the first brush.

According to a further feature of the present invention, there is alsoprovided a third brush disposed in the head opposite a space in betweenthe bristles of the opposing brushes.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the presentinvention, a method for brushing vestibular and lingual tooth surfacessimultaneously by way of a toothbrush including a handle and a headhaving least two opposing brushes pivotably mounted on the head so thatwhen a user's teeth are in contact with a brushing surface of each ofthe opposing brushes, each of the two opposing brushes independentlyaligns with contours of tooth surfaces in a dental arch includesbringing the brushing surfaces of the at least two opposing brushes incontact with vestibular and lingual tooth surfaces so that thetoothbrushes independently align with contours of the tooth surfaces inthe dental arch.

There is also provided according to the teachings of the presentinvention, a method for assembling a multi-tooth-surface brushing devicehaving two opposing brushes for brushing vestibular and lingual toothsurfaces simultaneously includes: (a) providing a toothbrush handleincluding a head, the head having two pins rigidly attached for pivotalmounting of the two opposing brushes, each pin including at least oneflange for securing each of the brushes to one of the two pins, (b)providing two brushes, each of the brushes including a bristle supporthaving a bore of a diameter greater than a diameter of the pins, thebore including at least one annular groove disposed in a wall of thebore corresponding to the at least one flange, and (c) inserting eachone of the two pins into the bore disposed in each of the brushes sothat the at least one flange is seated in the at least one annulargroove thereby enabling independent rotation of each of the brushes heldsecurely on the pins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric bottom-view of a two-brush embodiment of amulti-surface tooth brushing device.

FIG. 2 is an isometric bottom-view of three-brush embodiment of amulti-surface tooth brushing device.

FIG. 3 is an schematic bottom-view depicting the brushing surfacecurvatures formed by the bristles and the relative lengths of thebrushes of the multi-surface tooth brushing device.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are isometric bottom-views of two-brush embodiment of amulti-surface tooth brushing device depicting the independent pivotalaction of each of the brushes.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic, top partial-transparent-views of themulti-surface tooth brushing device surface cleaning device depictingthe independent pivotal action of each of the brushes as the device ismoved along the dental arch.

FIG. 8 is an isometric bottom-view of three-brush embodiment of amulti-surface tooth brushing device depicting sloping bristles.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side-view of the device of FIG. 7 depictingbristles disposed at an angle sloping away from the toothbrush head.

FIG. 10 is an isometric bottom-view of a two-brush embodiment of themulti-surface tooth brushing device depicting pins on which the pivotalbrushes rotate.

FIG. 11 is an isometric, partial cut-away bottom-view of a set of twoopposing pivotal brushes and a bore in which the pins of FIG. 9 aredisposed.

FIG. 12 is an isometric, exploded bottom-view of a set of two opposingpivotal brushes and corresponding pins.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is multi-tooth-surface brushing device withimproved cleaning capacity by maximizing bristle contact with thelingual, the vestibular and the occlusal tooth surface simultaneouslythroughout the entire brushing process.

The principles and operation of the method according to the presentinvention may be better understood with reference to the drawings andthe accompanying description.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts a non-limiting, exemplaryembodiment of a multi-tooth-surface brushing device respectively. Thebrushing device, generally designated 1, includes head 2, handle 3, afirst pivotally mounted brush 4 and associated bristles 6, secondpivotally mounted brush 5 and associated bristles 8. The three-brushembodiment depicted in FIG. 1 further includes third brush 9 staticallymounted on head 2 opposite the space defined between bristles 6 and 8.FIG. 2 depicts an analogous two-brush embodiment. The three-brushembodiment enables global scrubbing in which each of the vestibular, thelingual, and the occlusal tooth surfaces are cleaned simultaneously.

FIG. 3 depicts two brushing surface geometries; brushing surfaces 10 and11 are both formed from bristles of varying length. Bristles 6 vary inlength to collectively form a curvature approximating the vestibularcurvature 12 of the dental arch and bristles 8 vary in length tocollectively form a curvature approximating the lingual curvature 13 ofthe dental arch as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 3 also depicts an additional feature of the present invention inwhich brush 5 has a length less than the length of brush 4 The reducedlength of brush 5 advantageously enables a user to brushdifficult-to-access molars. Furthermore, the shorter brush provides fora brushing surface having a curvature more closely fitting thelingual-tooth-surface curvature. In a non-limiting, exemplaryembodiment, the brush length of brush 5 is half or less than half of thebrush length of brush 4; however, it should be appreciated that anyembodiment in which the length of one brush is less than the opposingbrushes is included within the scope of the present intention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the independent, bi-directional rotation ofbrushes 4 and 5. When a user brings brushing surface of brush 4 incontact with the vestibular tooth surfaces 12, brush 4 pivots intobest-fit alignment with vestibular tooth surface 12 and similarly, whenthe brushing surface of brush 5 contacts the lingual tooth 13 surface,brush 4 independently pivots into a best-fit alignment with lingualtooth surface 13 as shown in 6-7 As the individual moves head 2 alongeither the mandibular or maxillar dental arch, brushes 4 and 5 continueto pivot independently and simultaneously into a best fit alignment withthe changing vestibular and lingual tooth surface curvatures, therebymaximizing tooth scrubbing. It should be noted that embodiments havingthree, four or any plurality of pivotal brushes are included in thescope of the present application as well as brushes having bristlelengths of varying lengths collectively forming any type of curvedbrushing.

FIGS. 8 and 9 depict an additional feature directed at improvingcleaning effectiveness. As is known in the field of dental hygiene,ideal scrubbing is accomplished when the bristles contact the teeth atan angle of about 45 degrees relative to the substantially verticalplane defined by the teeth. To this ends, bristles 6 and 8 areperpendicularly fastened to bristle support 18. Bristle support 18 has asloping surface to which the bristles are fastened so that bristles 6and 8 are disposed at about a 45 degree angle relative to head 2 in anon-limiting, exemplary implementation. A variant embodiment havingbristles fastened to a non-sloping bristle support (not shown) is alsoincluded in the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, it shouldbe appreciated that an embodiment in which bristles are disposed in anon-parallel manner relative to head 2 is included within the scope ofthe present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, bristles 8 and 6 vary in length as a functionof their distance from head 2 to ensure that all of the sloping bristlescontact the tooth surface.

FIGS. 10 and 11 depict a non-limiting pivot arrangement of brushes 4 and5 on pins 21 rigidly attached to head 2. Brushes 4 and 5 each have anupwards bore 23 extending into the height of brushes 4 and 5. The borediameter is slightly larger than the pin diameter to ensure brushrotation on pins 21. Each of brushes 4 and 5 is held permanently on pins21 by way of a flange 25 disposed on each pin 21 that pivotally engagesannular groove 24 disposed in the inner surface of bore 23. It should benoted that a configuration having a plurality of flanges andcorresponding plurality of annular grooves is included within the scopeof the present invention. Brush rotation is limited by way of pluralityof small protrusions 22 protruding upwardly from head 2 so as to blockbrush rotation. In a non-limiting embodiment each brush has no more than180 degrees of freedom rotation. In a variant embodiment angular brushrotation is regulated by a flange and groove arrangement as is known tothose skilled in the art. The brushing device is assembled by slidingbrushes 4 and 5 over pins 21 until flanges 24 are seated in thecorresponding annular groves disposed in the bore wall.

It should be noted that both manual and powered toothbrushes areincluded within the scope of the present invention.

In a non-limiting, exemplary embodiment the handle is manufactured fromhard plastic formed by injection molding whereas the bristles aremanufactured from nylon and fastened to the brush head as is known tothose skilled in the art. It should be noted that any polymeric materialand other manufacturing process typically used in the art are includedin the scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only toserve as examples, and that many other embodiments are possible withinthe scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A multi-tooth-surface brushing device for brushing a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously comprising: (a) a handle having a head; and (b) at least two opposing brushes pivotably mounted on said head so that when a user's vestibular tooth surface contacts a first of said two opposing brushes, said first brush aligns with a vestibular-curvature and when a user's lingual tooth surface contacts a second of said two opposing brushes, said second brush aligns with a lingual-curvature.
 2. The multi-tooth-surface brushing device of claim 1, wherein said two opposing brushes have bristles of varying length, wherein said bristles of said first brush collectively form a substantial concave brushing surface and said bristles of said second brush collectively form a substantial convex-brushing surface.
 3. The multi-tooth-surface brushing device of claim 2, wherein said bristles are disposed at a slope in which an unattached end of said bristles is more distant from said head than an end of said bristles attached to a bristle support of each of said opposing brush heads.
 4. The multi-tooth-surface brushing device of claim 3, wherein said second brush is implemented as having a length less or equal to or less than one-half of a length of said first brush.
 5. The multi-tooth-surface brushing device of claim 2, further comprising a third brush disposed in said head opposite a space in between said bristles of said opposing brushes.
 6. A method for brushing vestibular and lingual tooth surfaces simultaneously by way of a toothbrush including a handle and a head having least two opposing brushes pivotably mounted on said head so that when a user's teeth are in contact with a brushing surface of each of said opposing brushes, each of said two opposing brushes independently aligns with contours of tooth surfaces in a dental arch comprising bringing said brushing surfaces of said at least two opposing brushes in contact with vestibular and lingual tooth surfaces so that said toothbrushes independently align with contours of the tooth surfaces in the dental arch.
 7. A method for assembling a multi-tooth-surface brushing device having two opposing brushes for brushing vestibular and lingual tooth surfaces simultaneously comprising: (a) providing a toothbrush handle including a head, said head having two pins rigidly attached for pivotal mounting of the two opposing brushes, each pin including at least one flange for securing each of said brushes to one of said two pins; (b) providing two brushes, each of said brushes including a bristle support having a bore of a diameter greater than a diameter of said pins, said bore including at least one annular groove disposed in a wall of said bore corresponding to said at least one flange; and (c) inserting each one of said two pins into said bore disposed in each of said brushes so that said at least one flange is seated in said at least one annular groove thereby enabling independent rotation of each of said brushes held securely on said pins. 